Incandescence
by TitanDragonfire
Summary: Sequel to Storm Rising. Strange things begin happening as the pass of a false comet in the sky triggers a chain of civil feuds, confusion, and chaos upon the Avatar world.But when will feelings arise that Iroh is secretly hoping for, and why? ZukoxOC R
1. Shadow in the Morning

A/N: And now, my friends, readers, and critics, the long awaited beginning of the sequel to Storm Rising, the second story in the S.R. series...Incandescence! Whoo! Ok, hope you like it even though it is short. I promise to write ASAP, this weekend however I have a drumline competition. So! Enjoy, review, and pray I get a new chappie up soon!Thanks!

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Tip-toeing about the still dark, night-filled hallways was a shadow, creeping along with an eerier silence. The passageways of the sweeping and majestic castle of the Fire Lord were dulled by the early morning hour, seeming calmer from the lack of luminescence to brighten and light up the dramatic color scheme about the place. The shadow, continuing along her path, stopped at every corner, peeking around the edge to ensure no one was waiting on the other side. Small white slippers made not a tiny sound upon the floors, heard by no one over many of the occupants' snoring around each way. As the shadow turned about a carefully checked, and re-checked, corner the white frills of a nightdress would whip around after, following its owner along the hushed trail. The soft crooning of carrier hawks sleeping peacefully upon their perches and the soft yawning chirps of the early birds began fraying the mute dawn. The air seemed to be iced over, freezing words and sounds until the sun rose to thaw it out again.

The shadow leaned over yet another bend in the winding labyrinth of halls, seeing no one in their way. An unseen appendage, a pale grasping hand, reached out and rested upon the shadow's shoulder. Long blonde hair flew about as the shadow turned around with great force, throwing a silencing palm upon a scream.

"What are you doing, Kaida?" asked a half asleep, yawning Prince Zuko. His lack of grumpiness from waking up had not yet set in, meaning he was either still sleepwalking (as his uncle claims) or barely awake.

After taking deep breaths, Kaida removed her hand from her mouth and pouted, "Why did you scare me like that!" Though she was trying to make a point and ask a forceful question, she barely raised her voice above a whisper.

"Do you know how scary it is seeing something walk by your door at Agni-knows-what-time that looks like a ghost come to steal your soul?" Zuko challenged, itching the side of his neck carelessly.

"Am I really that convincing?" she sarcastically commented. She put a hand to her chest and let out another deep breath. "I'm just glad you're not your uncle."

"So am I, so we agree on something for once." Zuko mocked her sarcasm, as usual for many of the people he knew.

"That's not what I mean!" she hoarsely yelled.

Zuko smirked at how easy he could ruffle her feathers, Kaida was one of the easiest people to pick on. "What do you mean then, MISS Kaida?"

"Oh never mind. I'll be on my way, Prince Zuko, sir." Her usual, light tone had returned, as well as her straight posture. She looked over the side of the corner again.

"What are you looking at Miss Kaida?" asked a cheerful, deep voice.

Jumping in surprise once more, Kaida backed up from the grinning face of one Uncle Iroh. He chuckled and rattled the saucer under his teacup. Kaida noticed the edges of the watery horizon were melting with liquid gold. "Sunrise, is it sir?"

"I'm sure you know what that means," Iroh said, still smiling.

"What does it mean," asked a now growing confused raven-haired teen. The prince looked to his uncle with a trying glance.

"Now, if you were to be included on this, Prince Zuko, believe me, I would have informed you, but you being in the absence of being a lady-"

"What does that got to do with anything?" Zuko roared at his uncle and interrupting.

"Many, many things, my nephew. Like for instance, I for one wouldn't enjoy seeing my nephew prance about in a lady's dress at all. Would you?" Iroh cracked an amused smile at his nephew who was now shaking his head in embarrassment. "If you must know, Miss Kaida and I are going to see if those repulsive, I MEAN useful lessons Lieutenant Heiji's wife gave are of some good use."

Kaida moaned, and quickly cleared her throat and regained her silent, straight-backed, emotionless standing. Zuko raised a questioning eyebrow, "You mean those girly lessons you took her to while I was stuck with Zhao! That's why you left me alone with him!"

"He did mention he wanted to speak privately, and Miss Kaida did not know where to go." Iroh's grinning mouth sipped some hot tea as the prince steamed slightly in anger. "Besides, with your father away and General Zhao in charge, it is a wonderful blessing he welcomes you home, especially after recent events…"The old general's gaze shifted to the glowing sky.

"Don't remind me of his STUPID promotion! He doesn't deserve it!" Zuko yelled again, taking no heed of the still asleep occupants of the nearby rooms.

"Now Zuko, that is something we cannot help. Now, isn't it time for morning tea?" Iroh cheerfully added.

"Wasn't that your morning tea?" Zuko nodded to his now empty tea cup resting on the saucer in his hands.

"This? Of course not, Prince Zuko!" Iroh laughed and replied, "It was only my third cup!"


	2. One Boring Meeting

A/N: Sorry for the wait, and here's another chappie. I know the first ones are short but I promise, as the storyline goes on, the chapters will get much, much longer. Thanks a bunch everyone!

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Kaida sighed as she folded another crease in the small paper crane she was working on, waiting for Iroh's tea. She had been dressed up in a figure-hugging dress, red as color of choice, and given a red fan to match. She had been poked and prodded and all other manner of distractment from her origami by several bored chambermaids, who all wanted to help get her ready for Iroh's standards merely to escape their chores.

Iroh smiled greatly as his tea was ready and took a great, long drink from the cup, satisfied with the results. This was his own way of calming his nerves, and many other things many times a day, before escorting the young lady before the new general as ordered. He glanced over, admiring the maids' work, which was much better than he could have done. "All ready to go, Miss Kaida?"

"Yes Lord Iroh, sir." She glared at her crane, 'As ready as I'll ever be.' She thought bitterly.

"Come along then. I'm sure you're bound to attract a wandering eye by how radiant you look today." He smiled, his natural talent for flattery, though it never scored him a wife of his own, was actually coming in handy.

She gave another small sigh and set the crane in her seat in place as she followed him into the hallway. She opened her fan with a slight flick of her wrist and kept it straight, covering her mouth as proper. She didn't start feeling a bit nervous until she reached the start of the grand hallway, where many troops and stray officers gathered.

She felt herself blush as a couple rough-looking officers chuckled and gave her a wink as she walked by. Her gaze quickly shifted in front of her nervously, trying to concentrate on something else to put her mind at ease. But her anxiousness was not quelled, especially as they neared the war room, which was surrounded by a group of top rank officers, include one General Zhao. Zhao smirked at the two and spoke with tainted pleasantness.

"Ah aren't you looking well this morning, General Iroh, Miss Kaida," Zhao let his gaze hold on Kaida's dark yellow eyes with a hard stare, "Good to see you both could come. The meeting shouldn't last long, so both will be in and out fairly quickly."

"She is coming in, General Zhao?" Iroh questioned in confusion. He recalled the order she was to wait outside the room until they finished.

"She is to come inside and wait in the back of the room. She can go afterwards." Zhao merely replied. He turned and walking into the room silently.

Kaida felt someone's hand suddenly fall on her shoulder followed by an expressionless, "Boo."

She jumped in surprise, almost losing her hard-kept balance. A smirked figure of Prince Zuko stood behind her, watching her with studying gold eyes. Iroh chucked a bit at his nephew's ploy.

"You're such a chicken, Kaida," Zuko taunted plainly. He took good entertainment in making fun of or scaring the blonde teen.

She glared after straightening a few long, loose strands of hair and smacking the creases out of her dress. "That was not amusing, Prince Zuko, especially on my account."

"And what are you going to do about it?" He jeered with a cold smile.

She took in a deep breath and turned away with a very irritated frown. She noticed he was beginning to tease her more often as days passed. Kaida fanned her reddened face forcefully until the meeting was called in. She was rather glad Zuko was on the opposite side of the room. She didn't even really pay attention until Zhao got to a rather intriguing part.

"As you may be well aware, there has been no word from Fire Lord Ozai, other than my promotion and duty to serve as temporary head here while he is away. There has been no news if he has been able to locate any new information or quell any rebelling civilians yet." Zhao stood as he spoke with a tone and look as if saying 'I'm so much better than you'. "I have, however, been informed we are to dispatch a battalion to scout the areas along the northwestern areas of Fire Nation. I have already selected that battalion. It will be led by our dear prince," he gestured to a haughty looking Zuko, who scowled in return. "They will set off at next full moon. Any questions gentlemen?"

Kaida stared, almost stunned by the news of the new mission she was not going on. She knew that her enlistment had most likely been terminated ever since Zhao brought the crew back to the Fire Nation. Kaida had no idea why the news upset her so much, or why she really cared. All she did understand was that she wanted to leave that room and go somewhere fun as soon as she could get past these soldier dimwits. Was she ever glad when she was free of that burning hot room and out into the cooler, yet still rather hot, outside air, free for the rest of the day.


	3. Disruption

A/N: Ta da! New chapter, and as requested via email, more KaidaxZuko! If you guys do have any ideas or requests to see in the story, lemme know! Email or AIM codeartemis! I even take things for any stories AFTER this one. Thanks guys, to all my readers and reviewers!

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Kaida lay in the cool shade of a tree, one of many dotting the areas by the coastline. It was hard to believe the world could be in such chaos by the calm surroundings around her. She looked up into the tree and watched the sunlight play with shadows and light through the leaves. She kept her focus on a small leaf that had begun to slip down from its branch and float down towards her. She blew softly at it, part of the only Airbending techniques she ever figured out, and sent it spiraling upwards before continuing the cycle again. She felt the wind play with the edges of her dress like the grass around her. She felt trapped in a calm, perfect moment until…

"What are you doing?" came a rude, familiar voice overhead.

Kaida looked up, 'Perfect moment…ruined.' She thought to herself. She glared up at the face of Prince Zuko, letting her practice leaf fall to earth as she took in an unnoticeable, big gulp of air.

There was a silence between the two before Kaida blew a much stronger air current up at the teenager, knocking him backwards into the grass. She smirked at her progress, which was signaled by the string of silent cursing and complaints. Sitting up, she turned around and watched him scramble back to his feet and regain his composure.

"What was that for!" he shouted down at her. Zuko's glare was only deepened when she started to snicker under her raised hand. "What's so funny!"

Kaida started to laugh a little harder at his confusion and expression. He was completely unaware how much grass had stuck to him or of the large seagull that was now perched upon his head. Her laughter continued when he realized this and viciously swiped at the bird, shooing it away.

"Stop laughing!" he roared at her.

She collected herself, still smiling, "My apologies, Prince Zuko, I didn't mean to-"she gave in to a small fit of giggles, "l-laugh at you!" She started up again, the Prince's expression turned to a very much annoyed frown.

Sometimes, the prince questioned his feelings he had towards this girl, unable to decipher what they really were. Right now he understood he felt embarrassed and used childish instincts to quell the matter.

"Stop it!" he yelled again, doing no good at all. Both his yelling and her laughter stopped at a certain sound echoing over the city. The city fell silent for one still moment. The sound had been that of a loud scream or shout, and as soon as it came, the rest of the city turned its attention to that outburst of alarm. The center of the marketplace had now begun to riot for some reason, visible even where Zuko and Kaida were. The prince tensed, trying to see and understand the reaction of the crowded area, and what in Agni's name was going on.

He took off running to the market, not realizing Kaida was following him as well. The area was swarming with shouts, threats, and screams. Inside the square, a good number of people were fighting one another, some women and children were backing away and hiding from the scene. A flare of fire burst out of the center of the mess and the glint of sharp weapons as well. Prince Zuko burst his way through the crowd, trying to break up the fight, unknowing the reasons that started it. Guessing by the people in it, he could tell it was one of those arguments about the war that got this started. Loyalty and hope had all been reshaped after the false sighting of Souzen's comet.

Kaida stepped a little too close and became an easy target for some of the fighters as soon as she stepped in. She gasped in alarm as someone began to charge at her and shot a thin blast of fire in their direction in defense. Kaida backed up slowly, trying to stay out of the skirmish as much as she could. She looked over and saw her attacker turn and face Zuko, who was trying to separate two scrawny boys from ripping each other to shreds. Kaida took a deep breath and used her new trick on the man, but it failed to have an effect. It wasn't strong enough and she panicked when the man raised a knife he had gotten from a nearby stand. She ran over and began to send a wave of fire in his direction when the blade caught her left hand. She cringed at the feeling of the blade slicing her skin and from not changing her bending properly. She blacked out as a result from both.

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Prince Zuko watched Kaida open her eyes after leaving the fight, which had calmed down before a group of locally training soldiers came by. He watched her eyes, at first they looked like a rainbow, like one you would see after a storm. He could see every color mixed into her pupils until they washed away and left a beige color behind. She looked at him, noticing after her vision cleared she was under the tree by the beach again.

"Why did you follow me? You knew it would be dangerous," he growled at her, more worried than angry however.

"Why shouldn't I have followed? I was only trying to help," she replied calmly. Kaida looked over to her left hand, it was covered by a bloody scab on one side. She moved her fingers and winced at their reaction.

"Well don't try again." He tried to sound a little less harsh, but noticed her distant expression which didn't really seem to be affected. She looked like she was about to fall asleep on top of all of it. He sighed, almost hating the sympathetic emotions he had right then. "Let's go see if we can get your hand all fixed up, huh?"

She nodded, still looking distant. Zuko itched to rip out more of the feelings he was getting now. He ended up, much to half of his brain's disgust, giving the blonde a piggyback the way there. He couldn't help but notice how light she was, like a life-sized doll.

"You're still a mean bully, you know," she told him, remembering every prank he had pulled that week.

"And you're still an annoying scaredy cat." He grinned slightly and watched her meek smile out of the corner of his eye. He caught a sleepy yawn and pale pink eyes resting on his shoulder and the light feeling of her breathing touch the side of his neck. He twitched nervously, and unknowingly blushed faintly. He made it top priority not to let anyone catch sight of him, especially Zhao. That man seemed to have forgotten all bitterness they shared beforehand as if it were magically healed as soon as he was named to serve in Ozai's place temporarily.

The prince had been lost in his own thoughts so long, he almost forgot where he was going. He was torn back to reality when he bumped right into his smirking Uncle Iroh.


	4. Evening Visitor

A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers so far! Yeah, the chapters will hopefully start to get longer and better. I'm glad I already recieved some helpful suggestions and ideas from people already! Thanks again guys and gals!

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Kaida was certainly glad when the haziness in her mind and memory had cleared by evening. She sat quietly in her room observing the fabric of her bandage that was wrapped carefully around her sore hand. It would heal quickly, she knew, but for now it stung annoyingly. She looked around the small room taking in every detail just to keep herself busy, for her only company had long left before she had taken a small nap, unable to do anything else. She had once again forgotten about her bending and made yet another foolish mistake. She couldn't afford to keep this up, knowing how bad things were getting in the world. The riot from earlier had been one of many, but the first she had been directly involved with. Kaida really couldn't even recall the event, being such a fast pace blur in time.

Kaida noticed the sun had just set when the evening bells announced Agni's rest, night in short term and for non-believers. Kaida noted how the chorus of bells played an almost sad, melancholy tune which seemed to go with her present mood almost perfectly. It seemed as though the bell-ringer was trying to express the night as a dreary, miserable time. Kaida however looked upon the night differently. She loved how the stars came out gradually and how drastically the temperature cools in such a hot, humid place. The wind even feels more magical at night, and the dark shapes hold some new mystery to be unlocked.

She gazed out her window with a misty look just when something scraped slightly against the roof just below her in the pagoda-style citadel. Startled, she looked out and down feeling the wind drag her from the safety of the sill, and noticed something, no, someone moving about the archciture.

"Who is there?" she called in a shaky tone, assuming the worst judging by her day. She received no reply, and for a moment thought herself to be seeing things. Until she turned around from the open window and was about to return to thinking, she heard the scraping again.

"Hi there!" came a pleasant and warm voice, right in the direction from which she had just turned.

Kaida jumped and suppressed a yelp as she spun around ad saw her evening visitor for the first time. A teenage boy sat with a slouch leaning against her window frame with ease. His messy chocolate brown hair and murky brown eyes were rather peculiar to her, also stating he was from the more common population. He sat with a boyish grin as she walked cautiously over.

"Who are you," she asked carefully, "and what in Agni's name are you doing up here! You scared me half to death!"

"My apologies miss! Didn't mean to scare someone like yourself," he noted with a quick nod of his head.

She tilted her head questioningly, with studying violet eyes she looked the boy over once more, still alarmed how anyone would climb up to her room. "What is that supposed to mean, might I ask?"

"Nothin' bad miss! Just sayin' I wouldn't wanna scare ya!" He added hastily. "The name's Makoto. Can I ask of yours miss?"

Her gaze softened, she could tell this boy didn't mean any harm, "Kaida. But I'll ask again, what are you doing up here?"

"Just lookin' for a friend, that's all. Ya see, I'm bored all by myself, and my other friends have chores and stuff to do. I saw you earlier, and well," he paused and smiled sheepishly, "I think you're very pretty miss. And I would be honored to share your company in my friend's absence."

Kaida blinked in surprise and timidly messed with the edge of her bandage behind her back. "I uh…well…"

"Aw please! It'll be fun! And no one will catch you if that's what yur worryin' about! We can leave and come back just like the way I came here in the first place!" He jumped from the window sill down to the top of the small roof below. "It'll be easy!"

She went over and leaned out the window with a doubtful look, "Are you sure it's entirely safe?"

"Of course it is! And I can help if you need any," he replied to her, grinning the whole time.

"I-if you're sure…Well then," she sighed, "I suppose going with you would be more fun than sitting up here in the dark." She sat lightly upon the sill looking down at him, still calculating it was safe to even think of going down this way, let alone with a stranger. Then again, he might be just the friend she herself needed to get away from all of the stress from the day.

She slid off the edge of the window and stopped on the roof below soundlessly on her feet with a graceful landing. She smiled at his bewildered and amazed jaw-drop. "Well? Are we going to get off this roof or not?"

"Uh, yeah, sure." He shook off the shock with a shake of his head, sending his brown hair all over before falling back into their disorganized place.

Kaida laughed softly at another one of Makoto's versions of the stories of the constellations. He comically pointed to one and faked many clever voices and characters, exaggerating and making fun of the old tales parents passed down every year. The acting mixed with his face full of freckles and goofy little grin made it all the more amusing to watch. Kaida found Makoto to be a curious, atypical boy, with a carefree attitude and a big sense of humor. She had, for a brief moment, compared him to Prince Zuko, with his seriousness and lack of humor, save for his famed bullying. She often wondered why he could not for one moment enjoy a good laugh like every other person his age. But after thoughts like that, reality snaps them right out of her mind once more.

"Well Miss Kaida, I must say it is getting rather late, perhaps I should escort you home?" Makoto eloquently offered his arm.

Kaida smiled shyly, "That would be a good idea, thank you for the offer and a most enjoyable evening. I daresay I'm feeling much better than I would if I had continued staring at my walls!"

"Well then," he started, "I'm certainly glad we enjoyed each other's company. May we perhaps, if you wish Miss, we could meet another time, 'erhaps?" Makoto tried to his eagerness, for he had actually grown to admire the girl's wit and charm in the course of a few hours.

"Perhaps, that is if we ever seen one another again," she replied coyly.

"I'm thinkin' we will, miss," Makoto stopped under her window and bowed slightly, like a gentleman would, "would you like some help getting' back up there, Miss Kaida?"

"I think I can manage," Kaida said, sizing up the climb, "goodnight Makoto."

"Goodnight Miss Kaida," the boy called before giving one last look and walking silently back into the quiet city.

Kaida fell asleep with a great feeling of happiness that had been vacant from her for so many years. It had been some time since she had a good laugh with a kind person. Ever since her grandfather left her, she had been quiet, reserved, and as emotionless as possible. The only time she came close to a good feeling was, as she almost regretted to say, was when she met Prince Zuko was back in the winter months. But his coldness kept that feeling from ever surfacing as it did tonight. She fell asleep and dreamt until the morning bells broke the morning quiet as custom and routine as every other day in the heart of Fire Nation.


	5. Friends?

A/N: Sorry for such a long wait! I have been so busy with football games, competitions, homework/projects, and pets that my head is about to pop. Hope you enjoy the chapter and I'll try to start getting more up sooner! Thanks again and sorry for the wait!

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The morning bells played a happy, calm song as the nation awoke to another day. Kaida stirred in her room as an irritating itch came upon her nose. She tried to brush away whatever was making it bother her, but to no avail. She drowsily opened one eye to see a bird perched upon the end of her mattress, its long tail feathers tickling her face. She sat up with a gasp and looked over to find she had left her window open the whole night. Kaida remembered her new friend she had met the night before, supposing she was too tired to remember to close up her window.

Looking outside, she could see the sun steadily growing high in the dawn sky.

"I'm going to be late!" she cried and leapt out of bed, wincing at the injury to her hand. Rushing to pull on her clothes and fix her hair, she nearly tripped over every little thing in her room, including the bare wooden floor. She almost forgot to grab her fan as she ran out the door just a little too fast. The next second she had already run into someone else passing by, quite hard to be added.

Gazing awkwardly upwards, Kaida grinned sheepishly at the scowling face of the fire prince. Her grin quickly melted into a frown at his remark.

"Do you make it a habit to run into every person you see? Or do you just do it purposely to annoy them?" he growled at her coldly, not liking to be disturbed this early.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't see you and-" she began and sighed letting her hands drop to her sides along with her head which caught sight of the floor absently now, "I'm sorry. I don't mean to, sir."

"You apologize too much, you know," he added as he started past her. Zuko had so much on his mind at the moment, he felt unaware of how cold her was really being to the people around him. Training for the new desert mission was to begin that day, and it wasn't going to be much fun at all.

She frowned and rushed on, deliberately taking a different direction from his. Kaida had other things to do, even though she did have today as one of her days off from being "proper". She still wondered why Zhao had requested her lessons to be given. Why would he care about a teenage girl who'd rather fry off every smirk he cricks on that hideous face of his?

Sighing quietly, she strode on to meet Iroh for breakfast. After much pleading, Iroh wished to enjoy his breakfast in peace, and granted Kaida permission to go into town by herself, for once. She was running low on origami paper and needed to mend her fan. She had also been wondering what was on the market these days, and was going to stay as far away from a quarrel as possible, she promised.

Wearing a simple top and Capri pants, Kaida looked like a normal everyday person, which she hoped she could pull off. She kept her strides calm and well spaced and remained in straight posture. She wore her hair in two long braids, not up to pulling it all the way up into her military or formal bun. She gazed at the market stands with ice green eyes, carefully taking in each interesting detail she could.

"Miss Kaida!" shouted a boyish voice and startled the girl.

Kaida whipped around in surprise seeing her friend Makoto grinning childishly from a group of boys, all within the same age group and sharp features. They looked just like some of the soldiers she had met before on her previous journey, and they looked so close, even age wise, it was almost scary. These boys might be going to war any time as they came of age.

"Good morning Makoto," she said pleasantly, calming down.

"See? Told ya she's real you guys!" the boy smiled back to his friends, some grinning back, others not so happy.

"She doesn't look like she's from Fire Nation to me," said a short boy on the edge of the group.

"Of course she is! Right Miss Kaida?" Makoto looked over expectantly.

"Yes," she replied a little suspicious of his friends. They seemed to have traits she had seen before in other people.

"My father told me about a light haired girl before. He said she was the Avatar. Are you?" another asked with wide eyes.

"I uh…well…" she didn't know if it was wise to tell the truth about being the Avatar. She was glad when Makoto interrupted.

"Hey guys, if she doesn't wanna brag, she doesn't have to. Besides, my dad's higher than yours is Rilan. My dad is Admiral Zhao's right hand man!" Makoto said proudly.

Kaida stared wide eyed, which the boys didn't notice, they were too busy laughing together. No wonder the boys looked so familiar to her. Each of the teens around her were relatives of Zhao's high council, his closest followers and higher ranked officers.

A grumpy, raven-haired teenager made his way along the crowded streets from the training site where he had TRIED to teach a bunch of idiots how to act like soldiers. The young prince sighed in exasperation and looked down the hill where he recognized a blonde girl standing amidst a group of rowdy, laughing boys.

Kaida saw another shadow block hers upon the dusty roads and the boys around her shrunk back, almost like they were scared of something. Slowly turning around, she came to meet a pair of gleaming yellow eyes, like a mad suncat prowling the desert for prey.

"What are you doing down here with these lowlife creatures, Kaida," Zuko asked the girl, emphasizing the insult.

"I was only talking," she replied meekly, feeling her own confidence collapse in her chest. That glare always told her to back off and be cautious, and she saw it enough to know the consequence from examples set by head-strong sailors.

"Well don't bother wasting your time," Zuko stated in a huff. He didn't like these other boys around Kaida, not at all. His face burned along with his piercing stare as he locked a strong grip around Kaida's wrist and started pulling her away from the group of teens.

"Hey! Leave her alone! You can't tell her what to do!" Makoto struck in, swelling up with false courage as his comrades stayed behind in fear.

"You have no right to talk to me that way, peasant, and yes I can tell her what to do just like I can to you." Zuko sneered.

"Well…," Makoto bit back on his lip, "What of she doesn't want to listen to you for once, huh?"

Prince Zuko looked back at his with a hateful glare, but didn't say anything to the big-mouthed boy. He glanced down at Kaida, who had her head down, studying the ground silently. He glared once more at the teen boy and turned around, dragging Kaida along behind him in anger.

When the two had reached a less populated part of the market, Zuko started to talk in a dangerous tone again, "What were you doing over there anyways?"

"I was just going around town for fun and ran into a friend and his friends…" She replied calmly.

"That annoying loud mouth couldn't possibly be your friend. He's got troublemaker written all over his face." Zuko snapped.

"Does it really matter to you who my friends are?" Kaida asked in a timid whisper. The only answer she got from him was a disgruntled sigh and silence for the rest of the cool, spring night.

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suncat- an animal I made up for later use in the story. 


	6. The Pendant

A/N: SOOO SORRY guys! I've been going to band after band after band stuff! My head is going to explode! Ok, here's a short suspense chapter to set the next question/mystery of the story! Thanks for being so patient!

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The day had passed by too quickly to Kaida. She read in the candlelit hall quickly, observing the rest of the people inside the vast room over the top of her book. Most of the talkers were soldiers, either just home or just leaving. She could tell their rank just by studying how they walked, talked, or looked when they passed by. High-strong, proudly set, very talkative men were either new or just promoted. That confidence wouldn't last long. One good battle, weather it be between an enemy nation or amongst themselves in one of those civil conflicts would rip the confidence and smiles right out of their flesh. But that was their problem.

Kaida noticed one of her own problems walking towards her with an oh-to-familiar smirk of stupidity. The admiral stopped short of her bench as if trying to be polite and not in the way, like a gentleman WOULD act if by some chance he tried. She gave him a watchful glance from the pages of her book. "Is there something I can do for you Admiral Zhao?" the word admiral was as sour as sucking on one of those illim berries the sailors would wager to watch someone eat.

"Well, Miss Kaida, you see the Fire Lord sent me an important artifact from his most recent find. I was simply looking for someone to hold onto it for me while I go on a little tip myself. I trust you'd be a better candidate than the buffoons you hang around with, eh?" Every ounce of dignity was required to keep from smacking that grin from Zhao's face. Kaida narrowed her eyes and thought on the matter, which she knew she wouldn't end up with a choice anyway.

"What exactly do you want me to do," she asked darkly, not enjoying his presence especially after such a hostile day.

"Just keep an eye on this for me," he tossed a small leather pouch. She caught it, nearly dropping her book making him chuckle a little, "and you might want to work on your reflexes, they're a little weak." He started off before she had time to speak up. She looked down at the small bag in her hand and studied the mark branded into the material. It looked oddly familiar to her.

* * *

By candlelight, Kaida delicately opened the small leather pouch and poured its contents into her opened palm. Out slid a thin black thread followed by a red, teardrop shaped pendant. She held it up closer to examine it, catching the detail inside the pendant. There was an etching of the Fire Nation symbol held by a tiny dragon. The dragon matched the brand on the pouch and she immediately realized where she had recognized the brand from. Looking down, Kaida shoved the left sleeve of her dress to her elbow to peer down at her birthmark, which had gone unnoticed for some time. She felt her jaw drop as she compared the dragon brand and the etching inside the pendant to her arm. They matched perfectly.

* * *

FYI: illium berries extremely sour berries. pale blue-green. mix between lemons, limes, and other gnarly, sour things. grow near low tide areas.


	7. Sea Bound Once More

A/N: Thanks for being so patient everyone! Marching season is officially over! YAY! The holidays are also coming up! YAY! More time to write! AND! AND! NEW AVATAR FINALE! AND NEW SEASON! OMG! dies ENJOY THE CHAPTER!

* * *

Kaida strolled through the sunlit corridors in the early morning hours when the town was still asleep. The sun was a bright gold that sent beams of light leaking through every window and open-air hallway. There was a warm breeze from the coast blowing up the hills to the citadel of the Fire Lord, still absent on a journey.

The wind played with the ends of Kaida's braids that hung down her back to her waist. She didn't want her hair loose on such a windy morning. In the deeply hidden pocket of her short kimono she kept the teardrop pendant, she was too cautious to wear it yet.

She had noticed her older friend had not visited her room yet with his usual cup of morning tea. Kaida had guessed he was still brewing his drink or had not yet woken. Out of curiosity, she had gone out to find him and to enjoy the wonderful morning Agni had brought to Fire Nation once more. It was hard to tell there was brutal fighting going on elsewhere. There were no signs of damage, as the homes burned by the recent fire during the riot had long since been repaired.

To her surprise, she ran into a soldier she had come to know during her time spent on Prince Zuko's ship not very long ago. Today he looked a little upset and grim, the light made his orange eyes glow as they stared at the ground when he passed by.

"Shing! "She called to the young man as he passed without taking notice of the girl. She saw his face light into a smile which stood in great contrast to his past expression.

"Good morning Miss Kaida," he greeted her with a light tone in his voice.

"You looked unhappy a moment there, is something bothering you?"

"Well, I'm no longer in the battalion heading out today. Oh well." Shing shuffled his feet a little.

"What battalion is heading out today?" she asked, confused in her lack of knowing one was supposed to leave yet. Her blue-green eyes were fixed to his blank face.

"The one heading out to the desert, well was, Prince's Zuko's battalion-" he started before Kaida interrupted with a yell.

"They're leaving! Now!" she frantically asked, startling the young soldier.

"Y-yeah, right now. But they're not going to the desert! They're in the harbor!"

She said a quick goodbye before dashing off back to her room. The last thing she wanted was to be left behind with Zhao lurking about. With Zuko's act of silence against her as of recent events, she hadn't even known when they were expected to leave at all.

* * *

Kaida plowed into her room with the force of a typhoon at sea, hastily rummaging through the clean, empty room for things that appeared to be lost. She pulled off the delicate kimono and folded neatly on top of her newly-made bed. She then threw on familiar grey clothes and searched hard for her armor that had been collecting dust somewhere in her room.

She looked at herself in the mirror, gazing distantly at her image, clad in hard armor. She frowned as she slowly pulled her braided hair from their ribbons and let it fall straight before pulling it back into her long used bun. Kaida looked down at the helmet she had found a while back. This was her disguise to get on board. There was no way Zuko, as mad as he was at her recently, would ever let her step foot onboard. Especially for being a _lady_. Grimacing, she pulled on the helmet with a deep clunk and held the mask in her hand. She decided to put it on when need be.

* * *

Kaida left her room in a run, through the labyrinth hallways and endless doorways. She ran all the way outside and down the large path to town catching site of the harbor, familiar troops, and Zhao. She could tell it was that wretched man by the proud and arrogant way he walked about, even from her distance. The thing that really scared her was the fact the ship was now already spewing black smoke into the air and moving slowly away from the shore. Kaida quickened her run, thinking fast on how she would be able to reach the boat now. She ran all the way to the docks, she caught sight of the anchor still being raised, and Zhao's back was turned. Kaida couldn't have had better luck for that one moment when she leapt from the docks and hung onto the chain of the anchor as it was hoisted up, slipping the mask on as it rose. The men working the metal machinery gave her a questioning look as she emerged from the anchor's chain and clamored into the interior of the ship. She merely stayed as calm as she could and grunted, "Late."

Both men shrugged and grunted an approval of the excuse, but back on the docks, Admiral Zhao raised a curious eyebrow at the flash of a soldier he had caught sight of sneaking onto the ship. He let it pass, for now, and went to speak with Captain Li before mentioning his trick in luring Zuko out to sea again to his own men to trail the young prince. All the way to the Avatar but not after a quick visit to his inventor's lovely village in the once proud Northern Air Temple to have one of his men retrieve any new inventions. Zhao just figured he'd let the boy do the work for him and grinned with satisfaction with his brilliant mind and strode back to the military camp humming a little tune to himself.

* * *

Kaida had been hiding in the storage hold for a little while now and made friends with the friendly Earth Kingdom stowaway hidden down there as well. She had not yet learned his reasons for hiding on a Fire nation ship before a great and terrible creature ripped open the ceiling of their hiding place and tore the man from the place he had hid in fear. Kaida had dashed off to the far side of the holding room and prayed no one would bother look in. Her heart beat faster than a suncat's bite could kill. But the creature had seemingly gone away and it wasn't until much later when the ceiling of her hiding room was fixed, but she had long since migrated to her old bunk room, grateful it was unlocked and still unoccupied.

* * *

It seemed like forever before Kaida summed up the courage to sneak up to the deck during one sleepy night to get a well earned breath of fresh air. When she reached the deck however, she found a small group of old friends gathered with instruments singing an old folk song. Iroh being the singer, hitting the low notes quite well but not quite getting the higher ones. The blonde crouched behind a barrel to listen and watch the two crazy deckhands try to dance with one another. It wasn't until Zhao stepped on board did Kaida doubt her safety. He was the last person she expected there, and his news was even more frightening than his gaze sweeping over the blank steel deck. 


	8. Dreams to Nightmares

A/N: Goodness! Sorry for the long wait but! OMG! THE SEASON FINALE KICKED BUTT! OMG! (dies of excitement/zuko hotness...) Anyway! Besides the fact I'm hopelessly obsessed with Zuko...HERE'S THE STORY!

* * *

Only the deep sounds of Iroh and Zhao chatting were heard above the higher yells from the Fire Nation prince as they spoke in the young man's room. Kaida leaned with her ear to the crack between the door, too afraid to get any closer. She could tell the conversation was not a happy one. The girl leapt away from the door as the voices grew louder and footsteps neared. She flew to the nearest hallway and rested her back against the cold metal wall and listened to the commotion grow quiet. Her eyes wide from the little information she heard.

* * *

Only a little while later Uncle Iroh came to Prince Zuko's room once more and walked away alone. Kaida began to think the quiet ship would be less hazardous to wander now. Only the prince seemed to remain in his dark room. She got up from the floor she had waited on for some time and started to walk down the hallway before a distinct scraping sound from a metal door rang through the silence. She froze, and upon hearing the prince's suspicious voice, she took off for another passageway before getting caught. Green eyes watched the shadows on the dark walls, flinching at every possible sound. She would be in unimaginable trouble if she was caught, but she had to stay far away from that despicable Zhao. Her instincts would scream at her every time the man entered the room, like they had done a little while ago. If Prince Zuko found her, would he still be mad from before?

Kaida heard the door open to the upper parts of the deck and knew the prince was making his way up those stairs. She decided to take her chances and walk towards the stairs to the deck. If he did come back, she knew she could hide up there somewhere. As she walked, Kaida could have sworn she heard footsteps up on the deck, by more than one person.

With muscles tense, Kaida peered out on the deck in the stillness. She blinked a couple times, and caught no sight of anything but the blank grey ship all around her. "Must have been my imagination again. Oh well."

But a sharp squawk sounded from high up. Kaida caught a glimpse of a green creature perched upon a metal railing above her head. It rasped bitterly at something in the navigation room. Kaida guessed it had to be Zuko, or at least hoped it was him. But her attention was ripped from the animal to a loud and dull boom from below deck. The noise grew as fire tore threw the many levels of the ship in an instant. She felt herself being knocked across the deck with the shear force of the explosion, to surprised to scream.

* * *

It was a few endless seconds later when she noticed something grab her sharply by the collar and pull her along somewhere. Kaida felt as if she were falling and then crashed into cold water without drawing a breath first. She almost gagged as water rushed into her mouth as she searched for air. She felt blind, for she had never been able to see well in water, but the entire fact she was falling in water at night, with no idea where to swim for the surface terrified her. She was confused and scared, thoughts of her final minutes coursed through her brain. As she panicked, something yanked her from the water's grasp and back into the familiar atmosphere.

The blonde girl peeked out from under her helmet and saw a concerned Iroh kneeling beside Prince Zuko, who was rubbing the water from his eyes with a soaked sleeve. Kaida shivered from anxiety and her distraught nerves and felt a great sense of relief. She scrambled over to the two and, without warning or thought, embraced the prince in a bone-crushing hug and a wave of thanks.

"I'm so sorry!" she cried in a fierce hurry, "You're probably going to yell at me for being here but I'm so glad you didn't let me drown! And…and…and-" she paused and looked up at his surprised face and gasped, "Oh Agni you're bleeding! I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! This is probably my fault and-!"

"Hush." The prince clasped a hand over her mouth to stop the emotional waterfall and shoved her away roughly. He pulled off her helmet and glared, "What are you doing here."

"I-I-I c-came to warn you about Zhao. I heard him talking the night before you left and I really didn't want to be left alone with that man running around and when I saw he was here I was sure he was on his way to do what he told his captain a few nights back!" Kaida shouted only to be over shadowed by a very unhappy looking teenager. "He's going to-"

"You should have stayed in the Fire Nation where it's safe! There's no place for a girl like you here!"

Kaida shrunk back from Zuko with a hurt look, "What do you mean a girl like me?"

"You're always in the way and messing up and you can't even protect yourself! This is a war! If you cannot defend yourself against your enemies, then you're just willing to be killed!" Prince Zuko roared at her.

"But people learn more from me. They trust me. Know why? Because I'm no bully, Prince Zuko." She glared with upset grey eyes and turned away into the woods.

* * *

"Fine, what do I care if he wants the Northern Water Tribe to be destroyed. No one cares about them. He doesn't care that the avatar will be captured by Zhao. He doesn't care about anything!" Kaida snapped to herself and hit away a nearby branch. In her rage, she didn't hear someone sneak up behind her until she felt a cold hand slip over her nose and mouth that greeted her with a soothing, cold breath and she found herself finding sleep overcome her violent thoughts.

* * *

_A voice only heard in past dreams from long ago welcomed Kaida to a strange, misty land. She saw a tall figure tower over her in the fog as the voice boomed out a warning to her._

"_You know not of your heritage or destiny, child, but you must learn soon." _

"_Who's there?" she called to the voice and saw a white haired man in all red come into her view. "What's going on? And I'm no child…"_

"_Have you ever wondered why you bend more than one element, young Kaida?"_

"_Yes, but how do you-?"_

"_It matters not. What you need to know is why not how. Let me explain. Every third avatar in the cycle is born with a destined guide, a protector if you will, that will help them in any way they can along their journey to keep balance in the world. Unfortunately, you have been born as one of these protectors. But you are from an enemy nation to the present avatar. Your tasks shall be more difficult than to those before you." The man told her in a calm voice, as tranquil as the still fog that clouded the field. _

"_But what do you mean? I'm supposed to help the avatar? That's against what my nation is working for! What Prince Zuko is working for!"_

"_You must cast that aside for now, for when you wake you shall be greeted with the problem you so heard a little while ago. If you refuse to act, the avatar and the rest of the world shall be in jeopardy. You must act as your birth destined you to do so."_

"_But what am I supposed to do?" She asked and noticed the dream fading from view._

"_What your spirit guides you to do, as bravely as you can, granddaughter." He bowed his head and vanished into darkness…

* * *

_

Kaida gasped awake at the sound of a strange explosion. "Granddaughter?" she asked herself before hearing another explosion that shook the ground she sat upon. Kaida shivered with cold and noticed her armor had been removed.

The girl jumped to her feet inside a flawless, icy room that remained sealed on all sides but a small window high up to the outside world. She looked down at herself, in a halter undershirt, training pants, boots, and Firebending armbands and back at the ice. Aside from utter confusion, Kaida had a strong sense of fear and foreboding dread. She sensed something was happening for the worst.

Kaida jumped and caught the ledge of the miniscule window and pulled herself up to have a better look. She saw walls of smooth ice being torn apart by heavy firing, unmistakably from a Fire Navy ship. Before her fingers grew numb she made another observation. Crowds of scattering people in blue gave her the hint she had somehow ended up in a place she heard Zhao mention. "The Northern Water Tribe…"


	9. A Ghostly Experiance

A/N: Gah! So inspiried! So, new chapter up sooner for once. I hope you like this one. It may be the longest one yet! Anyways, enjoy this chapter!

* * *

Looking to the water, Kaida could see the moon rising in the distance. She guessed it was nightfall, the perfect time for her to find the avatar without being seen. The only problem was how to escape the prison she was in, and not freeze to death. Besides that she had no idea how long she had been here or what time it was, which made her even more uncomfortable.

Kaida then smacked herself to unscramble her mind, "Ok, gotta think straight. Umm…let's see, since it's still winter the sun sets faster than the moon which means it could still be early. So, ok what am I supposed to do?

"I mean come on! Some weird guy who used to follow me around in my dreams when I was a little kid suddenly pops up and says 'Oh hey! You gotta help the avatar cuz I said so! So do it even though it means going against everyone you know and lo-…know." She stopped her pacing for a moment and lingered on that word, knit with a confusing curiosity on why she had almost uttered it aloud. But another instant later she snapped back to worrying once more.

"First of all, how to get out of here and get something warm on and-" Kaida was cut short when one of her own nation's fireballs crashed into the wall she was staring at and made a clear cut path for several icy cells to the guards sitting warmly in the middle room.

"Well that's convenient…" She jumped out of the icy mess, clearing surprised out of her wits and hurried over to the men, arms raised in battle stance. "I demand to know why I'm here and where my…armor…is…" Her mask of superiority and confidence melted like the confounded frowns disappeared from the two waterbenders. They even began to chuckle at the girl.

"You were foolish enough to be near one of our medicine towns, so what's a war without a hostage?" one of the men laughed and stood with defenseless arrogance. "Besides, I've never heard of a girl being in the Fire Navy before."

The second man laughed and gestured the man on. But Kaida felt her face grow hot with embarrassment. She wasn't a little girl to be walked on by a couple of idiotic guards of the Water Tribe. She was a firebender, and for once she felt a fierce sense of pride and broken dignity rise in her chest. Her hands grew warmer as the man continued his inane comments until something inside her willed on her broken spirit to defend itself for once.

With one large wave of white-hot fire, Kaida sent the guards running through the door. They were obviously new at their job to leave with such a weak attack, but Kaida had to crack a smile. For once, she had stood up for herself whole-heartedly. She looked around the room and caught no sight of her armor within the room, but did spot a white cloak hanging on an icy hook upon the far wall. She supposed it would have to do for now.

* * *

Something in her mind was nagging at her that following that old man's instructions were a waste of time and dangerous. But having heard things were too dangerous for her for o long, she decided it was time for change. Kaida didn't want to be the little girl everyone always stepped on. It was time for her to take control and seemingly protect the avatar for whatever reason the man in her dreams wished her to do so against the will of her own nation. But if it was Zhao she was protecting him from, then she had a very good reason to do so. 

Kaida climbed out from the cell through the large hole the fireball had created and glanced around for any signs of trouble. Noting none in her path she began to pulled herself up in the snow. Kaida felt her bare arms sting in the cold and paused to take a break while she was halfway up to warm her arms again. She held them close under the cloak and scorned herself by how uncomfortably she had gotten up, "Ugh, snow up nose…geez that's uncomfortable…"

The blonde flinched when she heard a noise, someone was coming. She jumped to her feet and started to run farther into the city when she thought to herself, 'Wait, why am I running?' she looked up at the glowing orb in the sky and turned back to her running, 'Right, moon's out. But wait! I can waterbend!'

Kaida stopped and turned around and raised a small wall of water as a shield in front of her when she saw a needle carved of ice shatter the shield into tiny fractures of moisture and slice open her right forearm. 'Right, can't waterbend worth crap. Running is much better!'

* * *

Kaida found a lonely corner away from the fighting and sat down with the cloak pulled tightly against her freezing body. How was she supposed to help the avatar if she couldn't even find him in all this mess? She had spent a good part of the evening trying to avoid the widespread skirmishes and ended up nowhere. She looked down at her hands wrapped around her knees and gasped at the sight she saw before her. Kaida held up her hands in the direction of the moon and saw…right through them. 

"Ah! I'm dead! How did I die! Am I a ghost doomed to wander the face of the world for all of eternity now! I didn't even get to tell Prince Zuko that I-…Never mind! I'm a ghost, for Agni's sake!" She shouted in frantic shock. She jumped to her feet and ran over to the wall and stuck her hand out to touch it. She screamed when it went right through. She tried it again, as if it was going away, and screamed as it did the same. "I'm a freakin' ghost?"

A calm voice she remembered began to whisper in her ear, pausing her frenzy. "You are connecting with the avatar. He is in the Spirit World and so are you."

"Why am I connecting with some guy I've never met in my life! I don't wanna be a ghost!" She sunk down to her knees as she spoke to this bodiless voice. "Why can't the avatar's guide be someone he knows!"

Kaida looked around for the origin of the voice and heard it fall silent. She whimpered a little to herself and clutched her ghost-cape tighter. "Ok, gotta keep calm. I'm a ghost, so…Ah! Why can't I ever be a normal girl with problems like frizzy hair or bad knitting!"

A hissing noise arose in the quiet, like something was burning through the snow. She turned and watched someone rise from the bottom of a tunnel-like hallway. Kaida jumped as she recognized the young man sitting there.

"Prince Zuko!" she yelled as she ran over to him, more excited than scared, "I really hope you're not still angry at me, but even if you are, I've never been so happy to see you! This weird old guy keeps telling me to help the avatar and apparently I'm stuck in the Spirit World with the guy so my hand goes through walls and I can see through myself and-" She peered into his unnoticing expression as he started to get up and move out of the tunnel and to the walkway just outside of it.

Kaida's transparent skin crawled as the teenager walked right through her as he found himself another seat by the water. She turned with a stunned and frightened face and screamed in his ear, "Can you not see me! I'm right beside you! Please tell me you can see me!"

Kaida shook her head in disbelief as the prince gave no reply. She raised her hand and reached out to touch his shoulder and watched her hand phase right through. She screamed as she yanked her hand back and saw her own body slumped over on the other side of the tunnel.

"Look! Look! I'm over there! Look over there! Can't you see me there either?" Kaida called to him again and he gave no answer, but instead fell against the snowy ground onto his back to calm himself down. But only a moment later, he pulled himself to his feet again and ran off leaving a confused and scared girl behind.

* * *

Kaida felt like crying now. She felt so lost and hopeless. She worried she would be stuck as a quiet ghost forever. Kaida frightfully peered over the sidewalk and into the water below. She found a faint but apparent reflection there in the still water. If only she had stood a little closer to the water's edge, perhaps then Prince Zuko could have caught sight of her. She curled up against the wall again next to her unconscious body and watched the stars move across the sky above her until the sun rose humming one of Iroh's fireside tunes to herself to pass the time.

* * *

A/N (again!):By little tune up there, I mean Iroh's famous new Four Seasons song! I luv it so much even if he can't hit high notes well! 


	10. Another Mess Up

A/N: Sorry guys! It's been so long! Gah, can't wait for the Avatar DVD to come out! I hope you guys enjoy this super long chapter to make up for all the time I haven't updated!

* * *

Kaida watched the ice through clear blue eyes and studied how each crack and fracture ruined the otherwise mirror-like surface. Her mind was fast at work dwelling on questions that rose every time she asked another. But soon she finally reached a question that was absent of any answer no matter how many times she thought about it. Her question was distracted from her thoughts when a strong sensation of being sucked under the water in the ocean, being caught in the undertow, swept over her ghostly self and seemed to pull her back to the human world that she had forgotten she was absent of being in. It was like getting a kick in the head before rolling up off the floor, dusting off the dry snow, and looking around in the blinding white.

Kaida felt numb all over, too numb to move without having a deep ache in her legs. She was shivering, which didn't surprise her, but what did was how she escaped that silent, unfeeling place she visited accidentally. Why was she the one who was connected to this new avatar? Why not one of his kind, if any left, or one of his companions? She had never even met this boy much less know she was supposed to somehow keep him out of her own nation's clutches.

A small, frightened cry of what seemed to be a child broke through her scattered thoughts and received her full attention. She looked around trying to catch sight of the person and felt as though the air was devoid of anything from being so cold. It was like the air had simply frozen and disappeared. She took a step forwards, then another, and a few more before hearing low voices from around the corner of the tall, icy building. Kaida peered around the edge to catch sight of a small Water Tribe girl, no more than six or seven, being tightly held by a tall soldier from the Fire Nation. The girl whimpered again as the solider tightened his grip and tried to drag her along father down his path. The man looked up with remarkably familiar features so noticeable Kaida almost instantly recognized him.

"Makoto? What are you doing?" Kaida stepped out from around the wall and looked the surprised boy in the eye.

"Miss Kaida, I should be asking you the same thing!" he smiled and jokingly replied as if the scared girl next to him was no longer there.

"Makoto, why don't you let go of that girl's arm, she looks like she can find her way on her own," Kaida asked sternly, conscious of the child's gaze on her.

Makoto looked at her ask if she were joking or crazy and laughed it off. He shook his head still with that ridiculous grin, "I'm afraid not Miss Kaida, you see, you're not in charge of me. I'm under orders so just forget about it and tell me how on earth you got here!"

"Let her go before you hurt her," Kaida continued. She knew that scared look so well that she knew exactly what that girl was feeling right now, and it wasn't pleasant. "Now, Makoto."

"I'm afraid you must be hard of hearing. I already told you no." He replied again, the smile was beginning to fade. "I'm not letting go."

Kaida walked up and grabbed his wrist even tighter than how he held the little girl and started to burn the flesh under her fingers. Makoto yelled and jumped back releasing the small girl to plunge his wrist into the water. Kaida took the girl's hand ad backed her away from the solider. "I asked nicely. Next time listen. You should be ashamed of your behavior, she's only an innocent little girl! What would your commanding officer want with her?"

Makoto rushed up and shook the snow from his armor with an angry look while walking closer and yelling, "Why you impudent little bi-"

Kaida smacked him across the face so hard it let off an echoing sound that silenced the man for several minutes. Kaida grew angrier at him the more she stood there and finally spoke, "You should watch your language. You're in the presence of a child and two young ladies." Without another word to her so-called friend she turned around and led the girl far away from him before letting go.

"You're ok, right?" She asked softly to the small girl after a few moments of silence, "Nothing broken, scraped, or cut?"

She nodded her head and wiped away the stray tear falling down her cheek. "You're from Fire Nation. Why are you being nice to me?"

"Not everyone from Fire Nation is bad," Kaida smiled to her, "Some are just dumb."

She laughed, "My name's Kutani, what's yours?"

"Kaida, it's very nice to meet you Kutani. Do you know where you can go to be safe?"

Kutani nodded again, "Yeah, I was trying to get there just now before…"

"Do you need me to come along, or can you make it alone?" Kaida felt a great deal of concern for the girl, especially if these troops were acting as low and disgraceful as Makoto was.

"I can make it! I'm brave like my brother!" Kutani hit her chest with a fist and smiled triumphantly with no tears anymore.

"Alright, be careful," Kaida waved as the girl sped off and disappeared around a new corner.

Kaida looked down at her necklace as noticed a small chunk of the ruby was missing at the bottom. A thin serpent tail curled its way out of the ruby to the spot where the missing stone was. The dragon inside the pendant wasn't really an etching after all, there was something inside the necklace.

* * *

Looking overhead as she ran through the narrow paths of the city, Kaida used the moon for her source of light still. She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach and she doubted it was hunger. Her instincts were drawing her up past a large temple-like building. It seemed climbing was the only way to where she was going until she noticed a small, round wooden door at the end of a long hallway. She didn't know what she was looking for or where she was going, but she ended up pulling open the door and slipping inside just as the moon and all of its light that lit her way turned a dark bloody red.

Zhao furiously brought down his hand in a flaming punch into the pond ahead of Kaida. She pressed against the door in hopes he would not see her and wondered what he was doing. She saw Iroh and some other unfamiliar faces and a scene she remembered from a childhood bedtime story. The story of Yin and Yang, the moon and water spirits was one of her favorites when she was very small. The crescent pond and the oasis were vivid parts of the story, and from what she could tell by the look on his face as he backed away, Zhao had done something very wrong.

Iroh was too busy roasting a small group of lackeys too notice the Admiral trying to run. Kaida thought she heard someone telling her to follow him, but seeing the moon disappear above them told her she needed to do more than follow him. She needed to stop being such a chicken and do something for once. Do something right without messing up.

* * *

Kaida took off after the man dodging the trees of the oasis along the way. She was abruptly stopped by a swift kick in the back of the legs by someone unseen. The gravel scraped up Kaida's knees and hands as she tumbled from her run. A deep chuckle rose over the sound of crunching gravel.

"Well, well, well, what have we here now? A lost little girl I do so recognize. How'd you get up here?" Zhao sneered down at the blonde who quickly stood up and glared.

"I'm not little," Kaida said bluntly, so used to and hateful of the same insult.

"No matter, I'll just be on my way and save you the humiliation." He started to walk off again, but this time Kaida was ready.

A fireball nearly singed the ends of Zhao's hair as it brushed past. He slowly turned around with a vicious look in his hard eyes noticeable even in the darkness. "So it's a fight you want, eh? Well, you've got one now, little girl. I've been wanting to get rid of you for a while now. You and your little Prince."

* * *

It wasn't long before Kaida felt the blade of a dagger press against her neck as she was shoved up against a tree. Zhao didn't play fair and she was losing badly, again. She only watched the ruthless and satisfied look in the admiral's eyes as she stood there. But something seemed to grab his attention away from trying to slice open her neck. He looked a little worried as he pulled away the dagger and glared back at her. "Next time I swear I'll get rid of you, you little traitor. I know you're in with Iroh and that Agni-forsaken excuse for a prince. Next time, I'll kill you and you can count on that." He must have thought the people at the oasis were onto him, or maybe he felt the need to leave, all the same he left. But not before lifting Kaida away from the tree and off the ground to look her in the eye, smirk, and fling her down against the rocky ground before running back to reach the safety of his ship.

Kaida felt something hard and sharp strike the side of her head when she hit the ground and a flash of red closed her vision to blackness.

* * *

Kaida heard someone talking, she couldn't hear what they were saying over the sound of the blood pounding in her ears. There was a sharp pain on one side of her head that seemed to get worse by the minute. Opening her eyes slightly let in enough light to promote a new feeling of nausea and a worse headache. She noticed Iroh looking down at her covered with worry. As if the pain in her head wasn't bad enough the feeling of defeat and embarrassment also graced her conscious.

Kaida sat up and regretted this due to the heightened discomfort she now felt in her stomach and head. She found her mouth still worked and looked over to Iroh "Wha happened?"

He shook his head, for he too did not know or even understand how she got there in the first place. His brows knit further into concern. "Are you alright Miss Kaida?"

"Yeah…I think. Just a little dizzy…" She said, but she was a little more than dizzy. The nausea seemed to be starting to ebb away but the pounding of her head was still as bad as ever.

"I was going to try to find Zuko so we can leave before anyone here starts to get a little suspicious of us," he told her and scooped her up off the ground with a strange amount of ease. "But I'm very glad I know where you are now."

Kaida smiled a little and felt something on the side of her face that felt weird when she moved her cheek. She took nothing of it as the sound of rushing blood returned to her ears as she tried to look around, the light was too bright for her eyes. The morning sun made her head worse, so she decided to close her eyes in the meantime.

* * *

A loud shouting noise shattered the quiet Kaida was enjoying to keep her headache down. She squinted to see who was making the racket as Iroh gently put her down against an icy wall to talk. Kaida noticed Prince Zuko, quite enraged, was the one yelling. No surprise there. He was probably still mad at her for sneaking on board the ship from before. Iroh tried to get him to quiet down, noticing the loud noise wasn't helping her.

"What happened Uncle?" The Prince roared at his relative who seemed to be disregarding the question.

"I was hoping you would be so kind as to carry her the rest of the way to the water's edge, my back is getting sore," he complained to his nephew. "We need to leave before we find ourselves becoming unwanted guests here."

"But- She's got blood down half her face Uncle! What did she do?" Zuko yelled again.

"I what?" Kaida didn't know she was bleeding, or had been bleeding, and felt a little uneasy.

"I don't know, why don't you ask her when she's feeling better." Uncle Iroh replied in a much quieter tone than Zuko. "Now, are you going to complain all day or are we going to get going? I have the biggest craving for a nice cup of tea…"

Prince Zuko looked at his uncle with mixed emotions and sighed as he walked over to Kaida. She caught the hard look in his eye as he hoisted her up on his back and started to follow his uncle. Kaida swallowed and felt a question rise up from earlier. She watched the ground while resting her head before whispering, "Are you still mad at me?"

Of course she received no answer, but out of her view Zuko was turning rather red.


	11. Goodbye?

A/N: Sorry for the delay, I've been busy!TT Hope you enjoy the chapter. I'll try to get a couple more up before I leave on my trip!

* * *

The delicate pink flowers drifted down in the air, changing course with the slightest touch of the wind. The cherry blossom trees were in full bloom, a sign that spring was upon the world. Mid-morning sun lit up the river town brightly, bringing out the vibrant red rooftops among the pale colored trees.

Iroh sighed contently, "This is what I have been missing. Who knew floating on a piece of driftwood for three weeks with no food or water, and sea vultures waiting to pluck out your liver could make one so tense!"

He looked over to his nephew and got up, "I see, it's the anniversary isn't it?"

Zuko sat darkly with his hat over his eyes. He didn't stir as his uncle sat down beside him. "Three years ago today, I was banished. I lost it all. I want it back. I want the Avatar, I want my honor, my throne. I want my father not to think I'm worthless."

"I'm sure he doesn't! Why would he banish you if he didn't care?" Iroh flinched inwardly as the prince got up and walked off from the comment. "Eh, that came out wrong didn't it?" The men behind him were silent.

* * *

Sitting in a little patch of sun, Zuko could see the pale haired teenager reading calmly under the sakura trees. Her dress was carelessly strewn out upon the grass, slowly collecting the blossoms that fell. For a moment, he didn't realize he had stopped. She became aware of his presence and looked up. He jumped inwardly as she caught his gaze and smiled politely. Zuko continued to walk off, recovering his scowl.

Her smile faded as he walked away, how long had it been since he had been in a lighter mood? She let her fingers trace the skin below her hair where it failed to scar as it healed from the ordeal at the North Pole. The very thought of the battle rekindled a burning sense of anger in the pit of her stomach. It does not do to be such a weak bender, but it could not be changed no matter how she tried changing her ways. Kaida turned back to her book, brushing her thoughts to that dark part of her mind where all these meaningless arguments inside her head were kept.

* * *

Kaida was on her way to greet Prince Zuko and Iroh back from their walk when she caught a glimpse of them walking up the path. They had already disappeared into the small building ahead of her before she could call. She walked up along the gravel towards the house. She was glad of their return, things had been quiet in their absence. She heard voices coming from the large open window, one of which seemed unfamiliar. Kaida crouched down and listened next to the window, eventually getting the guts to peek just above the sill.

"Father regrets your banishment, he wants you home," said the girl clad in a dark uniform. Kaida nearly gasped as she recognized the girl. That young woman had been a close friend of her older sister's, she was Zuko's sister from what she had heard.

Kaida thought about what she just heard. If Zuko and Iroh were returning home, what would she do? Would she go with them? She felt a tight pain in her chest for a moment, she'd be all alone again, she knew it. How could she have been so daft as to not think of her own future? She couldn't spend it tagging along with these two, weighing them down with her helplessness. Besides that matter, they were members of the royal family, how could that have slipped her mind for so long? Kaida looked up and saw the young woman leaving, stalking down the path like a predator hidden in the grass. Something about her didn't seem right.

* * *

She didn't know how long she had been sitting there. The sky was turning dark and crickets came out to chirp in the warm, humid night. Kaida hastily rose and started past the window and around the corner right near the doorway where someone was coming out and-

"I'm sorry!" Kaida immediately burst out, her eyes squeezed shut, imagining herself about to hit the rock underneath her shoes. There was no fall, she cautiously opened one eye, then the other. Zuko was looking down at her with a hard, angry look that seemed to soften only slightly. He released his hand she had not noticed caught her about the waist that avoided the fall she had expected from the collision. She was about to say something, to apologize again, before he started to walk off.

"W-wait!" Kaida hurried after him, having to quicken her pace just to keep up. "I-is something wrong?"

"No," was his simple, short answer. His gaze kept to the darkened pathway ahead of him. "I'm going home tomorrow."

'I know,' she thought before saying in a pleasant voice, "That's wonderful. Are you not happy about it?"

"I am, but Uncle isn't. He thinks… never mind." He started to walk faster, Kaida could see his eyes flicker back at her for a moment.

She hurried to catch up again, "Maybe your uncle will change his mind about it, or perhaps he's merely looking at it with a more cautious view?" She tried her opinion, hoping not to anger him more.

He stopped when the gravel path turned, it rested next to a patch of bamboo that tangled with the forest trees. "What about you?" It just dawned on him that she would probably not join the trip back to Fire Nation.

Kaida couldn't tell what he really meant by the comment, "Oh well, it's not that important." She looked up and reached out, trapping something in her hands.

Zuko looked over with a suspicious frown, she opened her hands to reveal a small dragonfly resting in her palm. Its wings flittered delicately and seemed to be staring at the Fire Prince. He shook his head and looked away. For some reason it reminded him of Kaida, her bending. How much it bothered him that a girl like her could ever be gifted with her bending and not use it. He often wished for that kind of capability, with it, his father would never look down on him.

Zuko looked back at her again, she was gently putting the insect down on one of the trees. She brushed some of her long, pale hair back and looked over feeling his gaze. His head snapped in another direction. His mind was racked with so many confusing thoughts. All he could finally muster were two words: "Good night."

"Good night," she whispered back and watched him leave almost sadly.

* * *

"I must go before my nephew leaves without me!" Iroh said at last ending his short goodbye with Kaida. She watched him jog down the stone steps to catch up with the teenager.

It never passed her mind if she would ever return to Fire Nation or not. She was going to decide on where to go that evening. Perhaps she would return to her aunt in Ba Sing Se, but how that woman continued to live there without suspicion of being from Fire Nation was beyond comprehension. Yet, she had seen many pale haired Earthbenders before, not quite the same color as her hair, but perhaps she'd blend in a little easier.

Zuko had already gotten ahead of his uncle again, he paused and looked back to see if he was still coming. The boy caught a glimpse of someone watching them leave near the top of the ridge. It was like a ghost to him until he recognized the blonde hair. He couldn't think of what to do and was saved as his uncle caught up. They both continued down the walkway quietly, one eager to return to his homeland, the other more suspicious at the true nature of the trip. Was it really all it seemed to be?


	12. The Beginning of the Chase

A/N: Sorry for the delay, I tried to put this up before, but it wouldn't let me. --' Anyways, enjoy. AND WATCH THE SECRET OF FIRE NATION! XD

The people of the town on the river looked up at the Princess fearfully as she uttered her speech in a harsh tone. Azula glared down at these ingrates, they had no use to her. The sooner she could leave this town, the better.

Kaida pushed past a few people in the crowd, what was this commotion about? She had gotten over in time to hear the warning just before the Princess turned to leave. Kaida hurried back through the chattering people to leave the way she had come. Since when had Iroh and Zuko become wanted fugitives of the Fire Nation? Has something happened when they were leaving?

She gazed at the ground as she walked and pondered to herself what could have gone on since this morning. She was stopped abruptly by a pair of manicured hands grasping her about the wrists firmly.

"Have I seen you before?" Kaida looked up as Azula smirked devilishly, her mask of false innocence had appeared again like it had the night before. "You look very familiar."

"I-I don't think-"

"You were traveling with my brother and uncle. I am not blind or naïve." Her expression knit into a look of stern displeasure. "Perhaps you might know where they have gone to?"

"N-no… ma'am… I haven't seen them since this morning…" Kaida timidly cringed under the girl's glare. Azula didn't rest satisfied and turned to speak with one of her officers, releasing her grip on Kaida's wrists.

Not knowing what to do, Kaida turned and ran down the cobblestone path that led to the small house she was staying in. She had time to grab a small bag before Azula came thundering in, fists ablaze in her temper.

'Oh Agni what have I gotten myself into!' Kaida panicked and ran faster, right past the angry young woman in the doorway and towards the woods.

Zuko strolled down through the trees and brush, his uncle's lack of assistance in finding food was beginning to get tiring and irritating. He clutched his stomach as it growled at him. "Be quiet." He said to himself bluntly.

The Prince looked around for some item he could use to fish with, since Firebending didn't seem to keen a plan.

He broke off a branch after getting jabbed about by other sticks in the brush a few times. "This should do the trick…"

Zuko walked over to the stream nearby he had found on his way down. He glared down at the water and watched for any fish to swim by. It was dreadfully boring, but he was too hungry to care.

After several failing attempts he appeared to have finally caught something. He pulled up the stick to reveal yet another leaf. He grimaced and cursed those leaves once more.

Everything seemed to hopeless, so pointless or meaningless now. The slim chance of him returning home to relinquish his birthright was belittled even greater now. The chances of him catching something to eat seemed barely much more than that.

Anger pulsed through his blood now as he half-mindedly continued his task of fishing. How was he supposed to get up in the morning knowing his future had been thrown into a burning fire his sister and that damned avatar had started? His temper was adding to the blaze of that metaphorical fire in his mind.

How was he supposed to end this wretched war? To regain his foolishly lost honor? To make his honorable father proud? To see Kai-…

He paused and looked ahead with a slightly bewildered gaze. Why had he wondered that? She was, after all, simply a traveler they had saved from her own foolishness. She was only part of a failed plan to return home and capture the real avatar. She meant nothing to him more than anyone else ever had. They were all people, things getting in his way of going home. Sometimes even his uncle did so.

He didn't dislike the girl, but he couldn't quite understand what it was. It wasn't quite the same as how he felt for his uncle. Thankfully, the feeling did not match his attitude towards his sister. He glanced down at the stick in the water, he had captured something on its tip without even noticing.

He raised the stick again out of the stream and glared in dissatisfaction at the minnow trapped on the end. He had gotten bored of his poor attempts at fishing and decided to head back to his uncle.


	13. Reflection & A Glimpse of the Past

A/N: My apologies for the long wait, I've been busy and unable to think '. This is the final chapter of Incandescence, but there will be yet another sequel, so look out for it. I must say...ZUKO IS SO SEXY IN THE DAY OF BLACK SUN EPISODES!!! X3 ...I am now done fangirling. Please enjoy the final chapter of Incandescence!

* * *

Zuko and his uncle, now called by the names Junior and Mushi, were safely seeking a little medical help in a small village they came across. There was something about this nice girl helping Iroh with his skin rash that Zuko liked. She was nice, despite her many probing questions. She was a good change from any yelling soldiers or rogues any day. Her name was Song, right? Yes it was. She kindly offered a meal, an offer his uncle couldn't resist in a heartbeat.

For the first time in a long while, Zuko felt…connected to someone when he talked to the girl later that evening outside. She too had a scar to show the pain of her past. What she said really made him open his eyes. But he did not feel that same attraction to this girl, and so, upon leaving he felt only a tinge of remorse for having stolen their animal for means of transportation.

He faced such separation, such hunger, such sadness for a long while. Wandering aimlessly, fighting his inner conscious on who to steal from or what to do otherwise to make ends meet. He could not remember what it was like to sit down, comfortably in his own cabin, and eat a hot meal. For fleeting moments he would wish to have that comfortable life he had while chasing the Avatar in the early days of his quest. He had slimmed much, therefore the only clothes he had were loose and roomy.

At last he and his uncle were reunited after such a separation only in tragedy. It was sheer luck his uncle recovered so well. Zuko was, despite being with his dear relative again, thrown into another bout of depression and anxiety. He had lost his direction in life. This mindset had even pulled him into sickness, which he recovered from with some eye-opening revelations. Again, he was drawn to a girl. A girl from Ba Sing Se named Jin, who had a crude beauty about her. She wasn't particularly well dressed or kept, or even overwhelmingly pretty, but she was human. That was what he liked.

This girl must've had some invisible strings pulling him, or perhaps he was beginning to lose him mind to loneliness. He actually went out of his way for her and nearly kissed her. But before doing so he stopped, and remembered, then pulled away. "It's…complicated," was what he told her. Of course it was, she would never understand him. She knew him as a tea-serving boy who lived alone with his uncle. This girl, Jin, did not know he was the prince of the Fire Nation, nor did she know his real name.

His gut wretched tight every time he thought of these teenage troubles, making countless efforts to rid himself of them with no luck. He even began to think of Mai, the girl he left behind in the Fire Nation with his horrid sister. As quiet and …well creepy as she was, she was nice to him. She seemed to respect him. He thought about her most often, her and that horrible, mixed up mess of a family he left behind. Never once did he let his mind wander to…

"Kaida…?" He had been walking along one of the streets to his uncle's tea shop on a sunny day. Either he was finally becoming insane, his tired eyes were playing a cruel trick on him, or he was really looking at what he saw.

The blonde haired girl had passed along the street perpendicular to the one he was trotting along behind a small group of stuck up aristocrats. She was wearing an outfit much like the rest of the group, an Earth-styled long gown and her long, pale hair tied up. She had looked over the instant he breathed her name. Her face was a mosaic of mixed emotions, mostly surprise. Her eyes, he had noticed in that second in time had shifted from a melancholy blue to a vivid green. That is what gave her away to him, he was sure it was her from that fact alone. His heart leapt and jumped in his chest so furiously, he thought it may just leapt out of his throbbing breast and strike the wall of a nearby building. She had kept walking along, following this strange crowd unsure of her own observation.

Without thinking he had flown at a sprint in her direction, tangling with the end of the train of people in a narrow alleyway. He called her name again, but no one answered and the people filed away noiselessly. Color vividly rose in his cheeks, his eyes burned with moisture, and his heart fell dead in his chest. He had been so close; he saw the incandescence of the sunlight on her little red and silver pendant hanging about her neck shining as a striking reminder, against those subtle earth toned clothes, of the nation he left behind…


End file.
